Patient Group Meeting Minutes

Welcome and apologies

Margaret Tatham may be late. Izzy sent apologies with a briefing given to Kate. No word from Ian Aldridge, Zara Bangs, Sally Payton, and possible new PPG member, Liz Murphy, not available.

Attendance

Sharon, Mr (Mike) and Mrs (Phill) Keenan, Liz, Kate, Elizabeth, Sandra, Margaret, Jane.

Review February meeting minutes (no meeting May) and sign minutes for website

Minutes accepted and no issues raised, and minutes signed for website.

Practice Update

Current patient numbers – the practice list size is currently 10,715. It reached just over 10,700 in July. Group members expressed concerns about the impact of new housing.

GP Update – Dr Stewart Smith is now a salaried GP with the practice. He is currently covering maternity leave for Dr Sam Duckworth and will remain on a permanent contract with the surgery when Dr Duckworth returns.

Registrar GP – Dr Rafey Abidi joined the surgery on Wednesday 06 August. He is in his final year of GP specialty training under the supervision of Dr Emily Rowe.

Staff Update – the practice successfully recruited a receptionist to the team.

National GP Patient Survey – the surgery performed well in this year’s national GP patient survey published in July 2025. We are listed among the top 10 in the county according to Somerset Live.

Pharmacy Service Provision – the pharmacist, who had been covering at Jhoots, left during the morning of Thursday 24 July 2025. A recently recruited team member remained onsite for a few days to provide information and advice for patients, but the following Thursday he closed the shop, handed the keys to the surgery reception desk and said he was leaving to return to London. Sharon has reported the ongoing closures to Somerset ICB. The ICB has been providing Sharon with updates on their discussion with Jhoots, but these are mainly short-term action points. The store has not been staffed since closing, and we do not know the long-term situation at this stage.

Village Agent Update

Given by Kate in Izzy’s absence. Village Agents, are part of the Community Council for Somerset which is now called THRIVE. It is operating with a new NHS approved database. Their focus is on social prescribing, managing housing and social service issues, and promoting self management. Staff are all being trained on new systems. There are some issues with microproviders and it is emerging not all are qualified for the posts they hold. Kate reported the number of patients in the hospitals who are fit for discharge but no care package in place are increasing. Izzy is supporting the use of community cars to enable those needing social prescribing to get the care they need.

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust update

Kate reported that there are moves to work in new ways to enable social care practitioners to get training they need via the NHS. It is in the NHS’s interests that patients are discharged promptly, and Hospital @ Home service is working well. The Rapid response Team is the link between the hospital @ Home and Microproviders (complex needs) and will determine what service is needed and stopping re-admission.

There is to be more emphasis on proactivity when life is limited, the last 1000 days via GP’s and HOLISTIC personalised plans.

Ref YDH, the closing of Maternity and SCBU was a result of staffing and other issues, and six new paediatricians are being recruited. It is more common for post holders to work across both MPH and YDH.

YDH is challenging the closure of the Stroke Unit by the Secretary of State.

New Non Executive Directors have been appointed with very valuable skills. 19 GP practices are now being run by YDH subsidiary, Symphony. They have put in a bid to manage Minehead GP Practice. There will also be collaborative working within the hub concept contained within new NHS 10 year Plan.

Ref the 10 year plan, ICB’s will be restructured into clusters.

There is real concern about some proposals in the 10 year plan, and all are requested to halt the changes by writing to the MP.

The plans include removing what are essentially the organisations representing patients directly and independently. Healthwatch to be dissolved, the role of hospital governors to be possibly removed (elected from Trust members - patients) and the Primary Care Commissioning Care disbanded with a reconfiguration, and patient voice on the ICB dismissed. Kate raised these as serious issues as where can patients raise concerns if the proposals are all accepted? It would appear whistleblowers protection is gone, and guardianship is also threatened. Jane suggested that these issues should be discussed at next PPG which happens to be the AGM, which was agreed.

Update from the PPG Chairs meetings

Sandra said she would ask all PPGs to discuss the issues raised by the 10 Year Plan and the related patient issues of concern.

Other issues Sandra raised were flu clinic rollouts, and over 75’s COVID vaccination.

Sharon said that Flu Clinics were planned for 4th and 11th October for adults. Children’s flu vaccinations will be delivered during separate clinics.

Dementia Alliance Watchet/other update

Margaret raised issues about carers and the SFT booklet and it was stated that carers could get meal vouchers and help with parking costs at the MPH and YDH, however this is not widely publicised and maybe even stopped because of lack of take up!!

The decision was made to invite Krystle Pardon - SFT Head of Patient Engagement and Involvement to a future meeting to discuss.

The carer’s group in Watchet now meets in the Sanctuary last Monday in the month at 13.30hrs

There is training ref Alzheimer’s Disease and Margaret wanted to invite a representative to a future PPG. Margaret was also concerned about the increasing challenge of recruiting volunteers, and also to consider research as to why people don’t volunteer, and the other challenges ref accessing meetings/activities etc.

Feedback from 2025 PPG Carers Event and discussion about young carers

It was felt the event went very well. Izzy has the key data so we will ask her for more information at the next meeting.

Future PPG events

There was discussion about the theme for future PPG events.

Explore feedback from local pharmacists ref service and services now being offered

Deferred to next meeting

Facilitating inclusive access to appointments e.g special and complex needs and accommodations required

Deferred to next meeting

Any other business

None

Date of the next meeting

AGM 12/11/2025 at 17.00